There are multiple ways your child could have found out about the shooting at Sandy Hook: from TV, their friends, conversations in the community, or maybe you decided to talk with them about the tragedy. Regardless how they found out about it here are some thoughts to help you navigate the difficult questions your young child might ask:
- Find out what your child already knows- It is important for you to have a full understanding of the information your child knows so you can help them process the information and not add additional details that could be traumatic or not helpful for them.
- Provide short and simple answers to the specific question your child is asking- Adults have a tendency to give long and detailed answers because that is how adults like to gather their information. However, young children only need short and simple answers. For example: A child might ask, “What happened at Sandy Hook?” A simple and short answer would be: “Some people were hurt at the school.” Notice you are not giving the child false information but you are not adding detailed information that is not helpful to the child. Generally speaking it is important for parents to give their children factual and honest information but only the amount of information that is needed for them to understand.
- Reassure your child that they are safe- When a child hears about other children getting hurt at school, they might assume that they will be hurt at school also. To reassure them, you could say something like: “You are safe here now and this is why at your school you practice drills to keep you safe in the future.” You can also talk to them about how many schools were safe on that day.
